The supersized retailer has announced it has purchased wind energy which will “supply up to 15 percent of the retailer’s total energy load in approximately 360 Texas stores and other facilities.”
Wal-Mart will be purchasing the wind power from a Duke Energy wind farm and it hopes to be able to use the wind power beginning in April 2009.
According to the retailer’s news release:
“The project will provide roughly 226 million kilowatt-hours (kWh) of renewable power each year or the energy equivalent of washing 108 million loads of laundry -- enough for every household in Austin, Texas to do laundry for a year. By purchasing this amount of clean, renewable energy, Wal-Mart will avoid producing more than 139,000 metric tons of carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions per year. This is equal to taking approximately 25,000 cars off the road or eliminating the CO2 produced by 18,000 homes annually.”
That should put a big ol’ grin on the yellow smiley face
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We may have hoorayed too soon last week when we touted how cost-effective recycling can be. Turns out the market for commodities such as paper and glass has dried up with the rocky economy and what was once a cash cow for recyclers now sits stockpiled until the market returns.
“Recycling centers that have enjoyed unusually high prices for their “products” the last two years are now, in some instances, having to pay to have the material carted away.
“As a result, recycling centers that have the room are stockpiling items that are usually in demand, such as newsprint, corrugated cardboard and tin, until the market rebounds.”
Corrugated cardboard once brought $150 a ton. Now a recycler is lucky to receive $10-$45.
And newsprint? Now $40 a ton, also down from the $150 per ton it also commanded $150 not too long ago.
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